Open tv.puttv.io in a smart TV's own browser, or flash our pre-built OS onto a Raspberry Pi Zero W. Scan the QR code that appears and the screen is yours — then design it in the browser or drive it over a REST + Socket.IO API.
Pick a screen, edit the text, and hit push — the TV updates instantly. The curl below is the exact call your server would make against a real device, and it's live: edit the JSON and hit Run to fire it at the demo screen. No sign-up, nothing to install.
The sandbox runs entirely in your browser — Run executes the call against a simulated device, never our servers, and only the demo endpoints work. Paired to a real device, the same call pushes live in ~180 ms.
No installer visit, no proprietary screens — you're setting up the TV you already own.
Connect the pre-flashed device — a Raspberry Pi — to any TV over HDMI. It powers the TV on and boots straight into pairing mode: a QR code fills the screen.
Scan the on-screen QR while signed in and the screen is tied to your account immediately — nothing to type, no config file to write.
Drag boxes in the browser editor, or upload your own HTML or JSON, then push it to one screen or the whole building. Changes appear on-screen live.
Already have a smart TV? Skip the box — open tv.puttv.io in its browser and the same QR-code pairing applies, no hardware to buy.
Adding more sites shouldn't mean proportionally more effort. Here's what PUTTV automates so it doesn't.
One pre-built OS image for the Raspberry Pi. Flash an SD card with a single command and the device boots straight into pairing mode — no Linux setup, no editing config files per device.
Screens wake for opening time and sleep after close over HDMI-CEC, and the device itself draws only a few watts — lower power bills and less time-on for the panel, without anyone scheduling it.
Every device updates itself remotely, OS and app alike. Push a fix or a feature to one screen or a whole fleet from the same dashboard — no site visits, no USB sticks.
A developer can drive it entirely from the API; anyone else can run it from the browser editor.
Compose 1920×1080 templates from text, images, clocks, lists, shapes and live HTML widgets — no design tools required.
Change a price, hit save, and connected screens update instantly over Server-Sent Events — no reboot and no trip to the TV.
Auth0-backed ownership the moment you scan. Screens can never be claimed by someone else, and onboarding takes seconds.
Drop in a Data Feed widget and pull from any source — prices, queue numbers, KPIs, sports scores. The screen refreshes itself, no edits required.
Upload a raw .html or .json template and push it as-is. Your brand, your layout, pixel for pixel.
Already have a smart TV? Open tv.puttv.io in its built-in browser instead of buying a box. It self-provisions and shows the same pairing QR code as a physical device.
PUTTV was created to be the fastest way for you, as a developer, to prototype. Start free with one screen — no card required. The free screen carries a small “puttv.io” watermark in the corner; the full API and every template are unrestricted. Sign up and build what you want to build.
There's no separate "integrations" tier — the REST + Socket.IO layer the dashboard itself calls is the same one you get. Wire screens to your POS, your booking system, a CI pipeline, or a cron job: automate dayparting, react to inventory changes, or push an alert to every building with one call.
Create a free account and a screen is live in about five minutes.
Menu boards, LTO promos, now-serving numbers, dayparting.
Room status, wayfinding, visitor welcome, live KPIs.
Class timetables, countdowns, occupancy, promos.
Welcome boards, event directions, weather, checkout info.
Rotating window listings with photos, prices and QR links.
Now-calling, health info, reminders, opening hours.
Notices, timetables, room bookings, emergency alerts.
Session schedules, room redirects, sponsor loops, wayfinding.
Same dashboard, same API, same templates. Pick per screen — you can mix both in one building.
| Capability | Smart TV browser Available now | Raspberry Pi Zero W Available now | x86 mini-PC On request |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardware needed | None — uses your TV | Raspberry Pi Zero W (~$40) | Validated per model |
| Cost to start | $0 | One-off, yours to keep | Depends on the model |
| Setup | Open a URL, scan the QR | Flash an SD card, scan the QR | Talk to us first |
| Embed a live web page Grafana, Slides, an internal dashboard | Yes — it's a browser | No | No |
| Text, images, QR, clocks, lists | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Live data feeds | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Turns the TV on (HDMI-CEC) Support varies by TV brand | No | Most TVs | Most TVs |
| Updates over the air | Always current | Yes | Yes |
| Survives the TV sleeping | Depends on the TV | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Embedded dashboards, newer smart TVs | Always-on screens, older TVs | Specific hardware you already run |
Why the difference? The Pi and mini-PC draw templates natively rather than in a browser — that's what makes them fast on tiny, cheap hardware, and it's why they can't embed a live web page. Everything else works identically.
About turning TVs on. Waking a TV uses HDMI-CEC, which every manufacturer implements slightly differently — Samsung calls it Anynet+, LG SimpLink, Sony Bravia Sync — and some sets ship with it switched off. We support more models over time as we test them, so if yours doesn't respond, tell us the make and model and we'll look at it. Everything else on the screen works regardless.
About x86. PC hardware varies enormously — graphics, wireless and firmware differ from machine to machine — so we don't claim to run on all of it. We validate a specific model and confirm it works before you commit. Tell us what you have and we'll check.
Whichever you pick, the screen pairs by QR code and is driven from the same dashboard and the same REST + Socket.IO API.
“Plug our little box into any TV — or, if it's already a smart TV, open a web address in its own browser instead. Either way it shows a QR code; scan it and the screen is yours. Design what it shows by dragging boxes in your browser, or push it over an API, then manage every screen in your building from one dashboard. No signage contract, and no hardware to buy if you don't need it.”
Start free on a single screen. Upgrade only when you add more.
For trying it on a single screen.
For single sites and growing chains.
Billed in US$ worldwide — A$ in Australia (plus GST) and ¥ in Japan.
The short version. Still curious? The developer guide and API docs go deeper.
Not necessarily. If you already have a smart TV, open tv.puttv.io in its built-in browser — it self-provisions and shows the same pairing QR code a physical device would. If you'd rather have dedicated always-on hardware (or your TV's browser is too old), a Raspberry Pi Zero W is inexpensive and widely available; we provide a pre-flashed image that boots straight into pairing mode.
Yes — a REST + Socket.IO API drives every device. Push templates, update live data, and control TV power with a single call. Interactive docs live at api.puttv.io/api/docs.
Over the air. Content changes push live and appear in under a second. OS and app updates roll out automatically to the whole fleet — nothing for staff to manage on-site.
Free for a single screen (with a small “puttv.io” watermark). Paid plans are priced per screen, remove the watermark, and add fleet-management features. See pricing.
Yes. Screens sleep outside opening hours using HDMI-CEC and wake on schedule, and the Pi driving them draws only a few watts.
Menus, schedules, live KPIs, wayfinding, property listings, welcome boards, emergency alerts — anything. Templates are JSON or HTML you design in the browser or upload, and you can version them in git.
Free on one screen, no card required. Plug in a box, or just open tv.puttv.io on a smart TV — scan the QR code and you're live in under a minute.
By creating an account you agree to the PUTTV Customer Agreement.